Alexander Laska Email & Phone Number

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Lead Third Way’s clean transportation and clean energy innovation portfolios, including developing policy priorities and advocacy strategies, representing Third Way to funders and on coalitions, and supervising three direct reports• Explore and act on partnership opportunities with other NGOs, trade associations and businesses to advance policy priorities of mutual interest• Draft and submit responses to requests for information and rulemakings to help guide the implementation of new incentives and programs for electric vehicles, EV charging, and sustainable aviation fuel• Developed and submitted appropriations requests for FY24 and met with key House and Senate appropriators to persuade them to support robust funding for clean transportation RD&D • Maintain relationships with key Congressional offices and federal agencies relevant to sustainable transportation including the House Transportation & Infrastructure and Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committees, the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, and the Council on Environmental Quality• Represent Third Way’s transportation work in media interviews, Hill briefings, and in-person and virtual policy panels, including the 2023 Washington Auto Show and a recent Department of Energy summit on energy storage• Supervise three direct reports, providing guidance and feedback on all assignments, conducting written and verbal performance reviews, and ensuring opportunities for development and career advancement

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Led Third Way’s transportation portfolio, developing policy priorities around decarbonizing the transportation sector and leading the organization’s advocacy efforts with Congress and the Administration• Created Third Way’s sustainable aviation fuels program, which included developing policy priorities around decarbonizing aviation, building relationships with key Congressional and Administration officials, representing the organization on the SAF BTC coalition and establishing Third Way as a leading NGO voice on SAF• Worked with key Congressional offices and other stakeholders to secure funding for policy priorities in the Inflation Reduction Act, including establishing new funding programs and incentives for electric vehicle manufacturing, charging infrastructure, and sustainable aviation fuel• Developed annual appropriations requests and worked with coalition partners to successfully boost federal funding for clean transportation RD&D, including for electric vehicle technologies and sustainable aviation fuel• Conducted research and drafted policy papers and other products on a wide range of transportation topics• Represented Third Way’s transportation work in press interviews and policy panels, including the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative's (CAAFI) biennial meeting• Supervised full-time policy advisor and several consultants, including assigning and overseeing workflows, reviewing all written products, and providing opportunities for professional development

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Established Third Way’s transportation portfolio, developing policy priorities around decarbonizing the transportation sector and leading the organization’s advocacy efforts with Congress and the Administration• Worked with key Congressional offices and other stakeholders to secure funding for policy priorities in the bipartisan infrastructure law, including establishing new funding programs for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and historic funding levels for public transit and rail• Developed annual appropriations requests and worked with coalition partners to successfully boost federal funding for clean transportation RD&D, including for electric vehicle technologies and sustainable aviation fuel• Conducted research and drafted policy papers and other products on a wide range of transportation topics

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Handled Transportation & Infrastructure Committee portfolio for Vice Chair of Highways and Transit Subcommittee, including preparing for and staffing hearings, writing talking points and issue briefings on the subject matter, providing vote recommendations for committee markups, and liaising regularly with committee staff• Developed and introduced bipartisan legislation related to transportation and other Member priority issues, including researching policy issues and developing legislative solutions, discussing legislative ideas with stakeholder groups, and acquiring cosponsors from Democratic and Republican offices. Some of these bills were later incorporated into the House Democrats' 2020 surface reauthorization bill.• Successfully added amendments on Member's priority issues to Transportation-HUD appropriations and defense authorization bills by drafting legislative text and working with stakeholder groups and committee staff• Managed legislative portfolio including transportation & infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and foreign affairs• Built and maintained relationships with in-district and national stakeholders, meeting with interest groups and constituents to discuss legislative matters and providing reports to Member• Analyzed legislation and tracked legislative and regulatory developments in assigned issue areas, writing legislative summaries, memos, and vote and cosponsorship recommendations

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Monitored federal legislative and regulatory developments related to transportation, summarizing key provisions in authorization and appropriations legislation for members• Led analysis of 2018 transportation ballot measures, monitoring over 300 ballot measures and analyzing the results to determine how much money voters approved for transportation, in what states, and for what modes• Wrote Congressional hearing coverage and other articles for Eno Transportation Weekly, including on freight transportation, rail safety, and autonomous vehicles• Represented Eno on-the-record to reporters and at public events, including presenting Eno's freight portfolio at a business roundtable at the Port of Philadelphia

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Advanced AWEA’s influence in the area of municipal purchasing of renewable energy to ensure wind receives more business and that AWEA gets more public relations value from the resulting purchases• Developed and managed new program to educate municipal leaders on wind energy including creating educational materials, building coalitions with other organizations, staffing policy committee calls, and attending conferences• Created first-of-its-kind database tracking over 500 cities with clean energy commitments and their feasibility/likelihood of purchasing wind energy• Researched local and state policy drivers of, and barriers to, clean energy purchasing by cities• Researched, drafted, and sent weekly policy update to keep industry members informed of legislative and regulatory developments

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Contributed to reports on the effects of climate change and severe weather on America's manufacturing and restaurant/agricultural industries, and the impact of the Clean Power Plan on those industries• Researched and wrote briefing memos and fact sheets on climate change, renewable energy standards, international trade, and health care reform• Assisted over 30 small business leaders in testifying to a federal agency on how international trade affects their businesses, including drafting written testimony, managing Requests to Appear, and preparing pre-hearing materials• Wrote and pitched op-eds on behalf of business leaders across the country on the importance of international trade to their businesses

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Oversaw all aspects of communications strategy, including responding to a train derailment in the district and announcing new rail safety, energy efficiency, and Green Bank legislation • Prepared Member for speaking engagements by writing speeches and talking points, drafting and sending media advisories, and tracking press interest • Managed listserv of over 100,000 constituents, keeping them updated on Member’s legislative efforts • Administered complete overhaul of website issue pages, updating messaging on a variety of topics and adding recent bill introductions, cosponsorships, and key votes • Fielded and responded to all incoming press inquiries in the midst of a developing election cycle• Worked with national reporters and television producers to schedule interviews and media appearances, including on MSNBC and Bloomberg and with Roll Call and Politico• Designed and implemented Facebook ads to gain over 500 new followers to congressman's page

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Managed legislative portfolio including science & technology, consumer safety, telecommunications, and LGBT equality • Analyzed legislation and tracked legislative and regulatory developments in assigned issue areas, writing legislative summaries, memos, and vote and cosponsorship recommendations • Managed introduction of bipartisan consumer safety legislation, including drafting legislative text, acquiring cosponsors from Democratic and Republican offices, and representing Member to stakeholders and the press• Represented Member in meetings with stakeholders and constituents to discuss legislative matters • Worked with a variety of federal agencies – from the Office of Foreign Assets Control to the General Services Administration – to help constituents having trouble navigating the federal government• Wrote 15 customized constituent letters and five targeted mass mailings per week, ensuring fast responses to constituent inquiries and proactive communication with target groups during pre-election “blackout periods”

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Worked closely with Chief of Staff and Communications Director to develop and maintain comprehensive communications strategy and implement through all aspects of communications outreach, including press releases, email newsletters, and web content• Aggressively sought out targeted messaging opportunities to reach core constituencies on a variety of legislative topics, writing five mass mailings per week and working with Chief of Staff and other communications staff to develop targeted mailing plan• Drafted and implemented quarterly mass email plans, accumulating 10,000 new subscribers since January 2013• Managed Congressman’s website, posting fresh and compelling content to amass 2,000 more visits per month over previous press assistant and become one of only 40 House websites recognized by the 2014 Congressional Gold Mouse Awards

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Drafted press releases, blog posts, and e-newsletters• Pitched local media events to local and state reporters, resulting in 13 stories on average per district work period • Updated Congressman’s social media platforms, doubling the number of “likes” on the Congressman’s Facebook page and increasing viewership of our content five-fold with infographics and other interesting content on hot-button issues

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Managed the year-end purchasing of over $10,000 in computers, office supplies, and newspaper subscriptions• Scheduled over 300 constituent tours of the Capitol and White House and processed requests for flags and Presidential greetings • Managed a team of 5 interns to ensure office efficiency and maintain a high degree of professionalism

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Wrote press releases, media advisories, newsletters, and blog posts• Tracked coverage of congressman for daily news clips• Drafted constituent correspondence

• Responded to citizen inquiries by telephone and mail • Tracked legislation using Thomas.gov and entered updates into Excel databases • Wrote monthly legislative updates

• Wrote articles and photographed events • Interviewed town officials and local business owners• Proofread pages before publication

• Wrote and edited press releases• Tracked press coverage of agency for daily news clips

Master’S Degree, Public Administration, 3.94

Activities and Societies: Herbert Roback Scholarship (National Academy of Public Administration), L. Edgar Prina Scholar, Chair.

Bachelor Of Arts, Political Communication, Journalism, 3.98

Activities and Societies: Phi Beta Kappa, WRGW news teamGraduated Summa Cum Laude. Was assistant news director for the campus radio.

Education record